Topics

Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant General Rhys Jones and US Pacific Commander, Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III have signed an open-dated logistics agreement which will provide significant benefits for both countries. The Treaty-level Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) will continue the interoperability, readiness, and effectiveness of NZ and US military forces through increased logistic cooperation. The agreement is designed …

An HSBC survey has revealed widespread confidence in the future of RMB as a major global trade and investment currency amongst mainland Chinese corporates. The vast majority (77%) of Chinese corporates surveyed expect one-third of all Chinese trade (US$2 trillion) to be conducted in RMB by 2015 (versus 10% in the year to date and 30% plan to use RMB for investment-related …

By David Mahon In Beijing, as evening temperatures hover around zero degrees Celsius, the heating has been turned on two weeks earlier than usual so that Chinese Communist Party officials attending the 18th National Congress will not suffer too much discomfort. Security has been increased. Vehicles from other provinces cannot enter the city without permits and, in an edict only …

Prime Minister John Key will effectively open Tim Groser’s campaign for the top job in international trade at the forthcoming East Asia Summit in Phnom Penh. “Quite a number of leaders have said to me that ‘Yes, we support Tim’,” Key revealed to this columnist when questioned on Groser’s expected pitch to be the next director-general of the World Trade …

The Public Service Association has leveraged the 100th anniversary of the Public Service Act to whine about the loss of 3000 public sector jobs in the past few years. PSA National Secretary Brenda Pilot says there are still tough times ahead for the sector with a further $1 billion to be cut from departmental budgets newzealandinc.com challenges Ms Pilot to …

Youth organisation Generation Zero is urging Peter Dunne to use his one-vote majority to be a climate hero when the Government’s Bill to amend the Emissions Trading Scheme has its last session of Parliamentary debate this evening. The lobby group claims the “world is watching and they are not impressed”! Generation Zero is calling for him to at least support …

On the day Fisher and Paykel was sold overseas Rakon outsourced high-paying jobs to Asia, marking a dark day for Kiwi high-tech manufacturing, says Labour’s Economic Development spokesperson David Cunliffe. “Today New Zealand technology manufacturing lost an icon and 60 good jobs overseas. It’s a dark day for high-tech manufacturing and exports in New Zealand. “New Zealand has lost an …

Australian Reserve Bank Governor Glenn Stevens kept the benchmark rate stable – currency and inflation were higher than expected. The global outlook had brightened. Australia still feeling the effects of the looser (read accomodative monetary policy) the RBA has waged. ANZ’s MORNING BRIEF EARLIER REPORTED: EVEN ODDS FOR A RBA RATE CUT ON MELBOURNE CUP DAY: The market is evenly priced for …

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully announced the completion of a third New Zealand-funded solar power system in Tokelau – meaning almost 100 per cent of the territory’s electricity needs are met through solar generation. “The Tokelau Renewable Energy Project is a world first. Tokelau’s three main atolls now have enough solar capacity, on average, to meet electricity needs,” McCully says. …

For the most recent of their hit viral safety videos, Air New Zealand partnered with WETA Workshop for a Hobbit inspired production. Take a look at the results.